The Country Life Scheme is a unique and special part of education at Pittwater House where academic, cultural, social and pastoral concerns are all advanced in the setting of an incredible historic rural environment.
Every class group at Pittwater House from Form 3 to Form 10, with an optional visit for Form 12, travels to the City of Bathurst NSW, to stay for one week every year in the residential Chalet at Abercrombie House, the private home of the Founder and the Morgan family.
During the week pupils participate in a diverse programme of country activities and school work and experience living together. The programme is a standard part of the Pittwater House educational philosophy.
The vast majority of pupils at Pittwater House consider their Country Life week as the social and cultural highlight of the year and they find the experience very enjoyable.
From the time Pittwater House began, the Founder had conceived the idea of following, to some extent, the Kurt Hahn - Darling concept of young people having the experience of living together away from home whilst undertaking a programme of activities devised to benefit them in many ways.
In 1969 a number of pilot groups from Pittwater House successfully undertook a normal week's school work 'in the field' at Abercrombie House. The success of the pilot groups demonstrated the advantages of outdoor activities being conducted in that environment.
The scheme had so much to offer the pupils of Pittwater House, it was decided to apply it to as many groups as possible from Form 3 upwards. The Country Life Scheme came into existence in 1970.
Over the years the scheme has developed as a remarkably successful opportunity for the members of each form group to learn and reinforce the core values of the School and family.
The benefits for the pupils include:
Abercrombie House is the private home of Mr and Mrs Rex Morgan and their family. The historic mansion, set in 20 hectares (50 acres) of rural farmland and formal grounds, was built in the 1870s by the Stewart family, Bathurst pioneers.
Today it is regarded as one of the finest stately homes in Australia, largely as a result of its major restoration and redecoration by the Morgan family since 1969, an undertaking which has been described by the press as a labour of love.
The house was awarded an 'A' Classification by the National Trust in 1970 and is listed in the National Estate Register of Australia and has received Heritage Awards from both the National Trust and Bathurst City Council. It is also listed on the New South Wales Heritage Register which acknowledges items of State heritage significance.
Country Life weeks are conducted under the expert care and guidance of the Resident Housemaster, Christopher Morgan and his wife Xanthe. They are both alumni of Pittwater House and members of the Founder's family. They have been running the Country Life Scheme for many years and have much experience dealing with children. They have a deep understanding of the aims and philosophy of the scheme and how to make it a rewarding and successful component of the educational experience at Pittwater House. Form Teachers accompany their group to Bathurst and also play an important role in their form's pastoral care.
A specially devised programme is tailored to suit the abilities and needs of each form. Many activities are incorporated into the programme based on such variables as age group, specific needs, current curriculum and season.
The greatest possible emphasis is placed by the Housemaster and the team on the care and welfare of every pupil and safety concerns are paramount.
Travel: to and from Sydney by private coach with the Form Teacher.
Meals: wholesome, plentiful and nutritious with the menu based on fresh local produce.
Accommodation: pupils sleep in dormitory rooms on sturdy bunk beds with good mattresses. The Chalet is a comfortable facility specifically renovated for the purpose and is a magnificent stone building with a great deal of character.
Facilities: shower blocks contain private cubicles with running hot water. All domestic arrangements are formally organised and properly supervised.
Pittwater House was one of the first schools in Australia to introduce pupils as young as eight years of age to such a scheme which continues on an annual basis up to Form 10. The return of each class to Abercrombie House each year greatly strengthens and reinforces the character building process and enhances the level of corporate peer support as the pupils grow, change and mature throughout their school years.
The long term structure of the Country Life Scheme provides a fixed point of reference for pupils to measure their own achievements in their academic, social and pastoral development.
The programme allows the School to focus clearly, through observation at Bathurst, on the welfare of every pupil and every form group. Many other schools have, over the years, recognised the enormous value of such a scheme and have acknowledged the leadership shown by Rex Morgan in pioneering the Country Life Scheme.
Its formula for success includes the comprehensive programme directly linked to the philosophy of Pittwater House and the magnificent historic environment, the family home of the Founder.
Formal academic study periods are regarded as a core activity each day. These are generally conducted by Form Teachers. Local excursions are programmed for some age groups and include activities conducted in the local environment, such as aquatic surveying and other river activities, ecological and environmental projects and farm help. Many older groups undertake a few hours of voluntary involvement in a heritage project on the property as a teamwork oriented practical skills exercise.
Some groups are involved in the significant environmental and ecological programmes which are underway at Abercrombie House. These include a green house for endangered native plant propagation, an aquatic wildlife habitat sanctuary, yabby breeding ponds, small orchards, vegetable and herb gardens, the re-cycling of water, a worm farm and an alternate energy system development programme.
Other activities are selected from a wide variety of healthy outdoor pursuits such as team sports, individual challenges and special Abercrombie events. These include a Form 7 and 12 time capsule project, astronomy, historical studies and heritage trails, singalongs and winter campfires. All of these activities are run by the Housemaster and staff with the support of the group's Form Teacher. The week away culminates with a formal candle-lit banquet in the ballroom of Abercrombie House. The pupils and staff are guests of the Founder and Mrs Morgan and join in speeches, toasts and entertainment.
All of these activities are designed to be character building, healthy and fun. They create opportunities for pupils to develop their qualities of leadership, unselfishness, kindness, team spirit, improved self reliance and self esteem. All of these are proven to be beneficial to their academic performance.
